[6]

This made-for-cable fantasy/noir yarn features Fred Ward as a private detective searching for a book of spells in an alternate 1940s Hollywood where monsters and magic are part of everyday life. Think Who Framed Roger Rabbit with magic instead of cartoons. As fantastic as it sounds, the script is fairly conventional and predictable. A major clue hinges on revealing a “she” to be a “he,” but I don’t think the actor in drag is fooling anyone. The movie manages some remarkable special effects given its limited budget, but the real reason to see this colorful flick is its incredible cast. Ward is joined by the ever-villainous David Warner and sultry love interest Julianne Moore, as well as the always cool Clancy Brown (Highlander, Carnivale).